IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING!

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING!

In partnership with Parley for the Oceans, Adidas is turning plastic waste into shoes and sportswear.

By Devanshi Singh | 23 October 2022

We're surrounded by plastic. It is ubiquitous. Plastic has become an integral part of our daily life. A life without plastics! Isn’t it unimaginable? Global plastic pollution - estimated at 300 million tonnes a year - has also reached such alarming levels that it is predicted that there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by 2050. And every year, billions of pounds of more plastic end up in the world's oceans. Various studies estimate there are now 15–51 trillion pieces of plastic in the world's oceans — from the equator to the poles, from Arctic ice sheets to the sea floor. Not one square mile of surface ocean anywhere on earth is free of plastic pollution. The problem is growing into a crisis.

Therefore, we need urgent action to address the global plastic pollution epidemic.

Plastic waste is a serious problem. And the solution to this problem is- INNOVATION. It's essential to reinvent and redefine the way we live on this planet. Dealing with plastic pollution demands creativity – from re-designing packaging and delivery models to implementing new recycling technologies that help address waste production and management.

FROM PLASTIC WASTE TO PRODUCT: THE JOURNEY OF ADIDAS X PARLEY FOR THE OCEAN

One of the biggest contributions to combatting the plastic crisis is innovation and scientific discovery. So, Adidas attempted to do something ingenious. Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans and they came up with this innovative idea of turning marine pollution into sportswear. Like its

Ultraboost and Alphaboost shoes.

The two companies have prevented over 2,800 tons of plastic from reaching the ocean.

WHAT IS PARLEY FOR THE OCEANS?

“Parley is the space where creators, thinkers, and leaders come together to raise awareness for the beauty and fragility of our oceans and collaborate on projects that can end their destruction.”

Parley for the Oceans is an environmental organization and global collaboration network. It was founded by Cyrill Gutsch in 2012. It sees the ocean as the most important ecosystem in our planet and confronts any threats to it with creativity and innovation. They believe that artists, musicians, actors, filmmakers, fashion designers, journalists, architects, product inventors, and scientists have the tools to mold the reality we live in and can provide alternative business models and ecologically sensible products.

THE ADIDAS X PARLEY COLLABORATION

Adidas’ partnership with Parley for the Oceans was announced at a conference in the United Nations headquarters, in 2015. There they showcased an innovative footwear concept born from the collaboration. The creation of this first shoe has quite a story behind it.

After intercepting and retrieving a heap of indestructible gillnet from the water, described by Material Innovation Manager at Adidas Kelli George as “a pallet of old, stinky, dead, crab-entangled fishing net”, their mission was to transform these kilos of gillnet into workable material for a shoe in time for the conference. The illegal deep-sea gillnet was then hand cleaned, dried, and prepped, and then sent off to their textile suppliers to be turned into yarn for the Ultraboost prototype’s upper. The completed prototype was unveiled at the conference as a first for the industry, bolstered by a promise to make big, bold steps with Parley for the Oceans to end plastic waste.

Since then, the partnership has driven innovation within the industry, creating a worldwide movement to save our oceans through the power of sport.

Over the last five years, Adidas had steadily decreased the use of virgin polyester in their products and, by the end of 2020, more than half of all the polyester used in their products was recycled polyester. This has set them in good stead to reach their goal of cutting out virgin polyester entirely by 2024. With ‘Primeblue’, they have produced a high-performance yarn for the sports industry made with 50% Parley Ocean Plastic - upcycled plastic waste intercepted on shorelines and coastal areas, preventing it from polluting our oceans. By the end of 2020, they had crafted more than 30 million pairs of shoes with Parley Ocean Plastic.

BUT HOW ARE THESE SHOES MADE?

The processing plant crushes, washes, and dehydrates the waste, leaving nothing but small plastic flakes. These flakes are heated, dried, and cooled, then cut into small resin pellets. Normally, polyester is made from petroleum. But Adidas melts these pellets to create a filament, which is spun into what they call Ocean Plastic. Adidas uses Ocean Plastic to form the upper parts of shoes and clothing like jerseys. Each item in the Parley collection is made from at least 75% intercepted marine trash. And they still meet the same performance and comfort standards as Adidas' other shoes. Recycled polyester uses less water and fewer chemicals and helps prevent plastic pollution.

ADIDAS' OBJECTIVE

Adidas' goal is to replace all virgin polyester with recycled polyester by 2024. Currently, more than 40% of Adidas' apparel uses recycled polyester. You may have seen Adidas' recycled sportswear without even noticing it. Clothing made with Ocean Plastic has been used in college football, baseball, the NHL, the Australian Open, and more. But this doesn't eliminate plastic pollution entirely. Washing polyester clothing can create microfibers, which may end up in the ocean. Adidas suggests that customers wash their clothes less often, use cold water, and fully fill the machine each time. With the help of Parley for the Oceans, Adidas is using readily available materials to manufacture new products. Which is a big step towards a sustainable future.